The invention relates generally to items of furniture, and more particularly to furniture items that are selectively convertible in configuration and thus capable of serving a number of different functional needs.
The expense of purchasing furniture items for the wide variety of needs of a typical household represents a major financial burden in many cases. In addition, the high cost of purchasing a home or condominium, or renting an apartment, frequently results in a limited amount of space to accommodate the varying needs or desires of occupants.
Because of these problems, many families and households are becoming increasingly interested in furniture items that are cost-effective, durable, and capable of performing more than one function. Thus, the need has arisen for sturdy furniture items capable of transfunctional or multifunctional conversion from one functional configuration to another. The present invention seeks to address this need by providing durable, multifunctional furniture items that are selectively convertible from one functional configuration to another, thus allowing the function and configuration of such furniture items to be changed to suit a number of different intended usages. In addition, the present invention seeks to provide such a furniture item that conserves space, especially in situations where one of the transfunctional, convertible configurations is used on a relatively infrequent basis.
In accordance with the present invention, a multifunctional, configuration-convertible furniture item is selectively convertible between at least two functional configurations. Such a furniture item according to the present invention includes a generally vertically upright shelving unit, with a movable frame portion and a movable extension portion. The frame portion is selectively movable between a generally vertically-extending orientation when in the above-mentioned first functional configuration and a vertically-elevated, generally horizontally-extending orientation when in a second functional configuration. The extension portion is selectively extendable outwardly from the shelving unit and selectively retractable thereto. When extended, the extension portion is vertically supported by the frame portion when the frame portion is in the second, generally horizontally-extending configuration, thus defining an elevated horizontal surface extending outwardly from the shelving unit.
The elevated horizontal surface formed by the extended extension portion can serve as a bed frame and supporting structure for a mattress, which may be used on a relatively infrequent basis, such as when overnight guests are present. Alternately, such elevated horizontal surface can serve as a desk, work table, or other horizontal table-like structure. In still another form of the invention, such elevated horizontal surface can serve as a supporting surface for cushions for a bench or other seating, thus providing additional seating capabilities when larger-than-normal groups of visitors are present.
Additional objects, advantages, and features are provided by the present invention and are directed toward enhancing the multi-use, transfunctional capabilities of the furniture items of the present invention. Such additional objects, advantages, and features will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, especially when taken in conjuction with the accompanying drawings.